Manchester United Women have shown their title credentials with a gritty 0-0 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, a match that marked the highly anticipated debuts of Hanna Lundqvist and Lea Schüller.
Despite playing a significant portion of the second half with ten players following a red card, the Red Devils held firm to secure a vital away point. Manager Marc Skinner expressed his pride in the squad’s defensive organization while providing a detailed assessment of his newest reinforcements.
Lundqvist Shines, Schüller Battles Odds
Swedish full-back Hanna Lundqvist made an immediate impact after coming off the bench. Skinner was quick to praise her composure under pressure: “I thought Hanna was fantastic when she came in. She read the game well and gave us the stability we needed,” the manager noted.
On the other hand, German star striker Lea Schüller faced a “baptism of fire,” entering the pitch just as United were reduced to ten players. “It was tough for Lea. She gave it her all, but suddenly we were down to ten, and the game plan had to shift entirely to survival mode,” Skinner added.
View this post on Instagram
A Point Earned at the Emirates
Skinner emphasized that while the team needs to be more “ruthless” in the final third, leaving the Emirates with a clean sheet under such circumstances is a massive result for their WSL campaign.
“I think we’ll play better with the ball as the season progresses, but a point away from home with ten players is a great result. We need to execute our build-up strategies more quickly, and that’s what we’ll be working on this week,” Skinner concluded.
READ ALSO
Marc Skinner Hails ‘Resilient’ Man Utd After Holding Arsenal with 10 Players in Milestone 100th Game
Cup Fever: Burnley and Arsenal Rematch
Manchester United now shifts its focus to domestic cup competitions with two high-stakes fixtures:
- FA Women’s Cup (Jan 18): A 4th-round clash against Burnley.
- League Cup Semi-Final (Jan 21): A massive rematch against Arsenal. The Red Devils will return to London looking to go one step further and secure a spot in the final.
